How do you treat Flu symptoms?

[~sudsshane]

Well, after a wonderful week in the Blue Ridge Mountains, my partner and I have been sidelined with a BAD case of the Flu. My doctor said there is basically nothing I can do other than getting plenty of bed rest and drinking fluids. My fever today seems to have subsided a bit from a high of 103. I haven't been this sick in years!

Everyone take care of yourself and if you haven't gotten your flu shot, do it ASAP..I sure wish I did..=((

Any Suggestions??

 

[goatfarmer]

sipping copious amounts of Diet Sprite....

 

[toggleswitch]

Feed a cold. Starve a fever.

Cough drops with vitamin "C", zinc and echinacea
can't hurt.

Just don't take the echinacea for more than 5 to 7 days in a row.

Zinc is especially good for men. It replaces what you lose every so often.

 

[bajaespuma]

Notes from a know-it-all doctor's son:

Once you're infected, there's really nothing you can do but take care of yourself as best you can. Once flu symptoms appear, you can bet that you have been infected for at least a couple of days if not more. All of the symptoms, the fever, the pains, etc. are the effects of your body fighting the infection. If you have a sore throat, it's because your body has mounted a massive "search and destroy" mission to actually destroy more of your throat cells around the infection to keep the virus from using those cells to reproduce. It's an amazing mechanism, but causes us much discomfort.

Number 1 treatment: REST!!!!!!!!! your body needs all the energy it can muster to fight the disease, especially if you have fever. Use aspirin/tylenol/ibuprofen cautiously to relieve some pain.

Number 2: Plenty of fluids; chicken soup isn't a bad idea at all. Coca-cola syrup seems to work for stomach flu when nothing else will stay down. I keep compazine suppositories in the fridge for such an emergency.

Number 3: Tell everybody and all that are making any demands on you to f**k off. When you're sick, time to be selfish.

If any symptoms linger, be smart, see a doctor. As we get older lots of stuff settles in the lungs and can trigger opportunistic infections. It's a jungle out there!

 

[MrX]

Option 1: The traditional approach

Keep warm
Lots of rest
Lots of fluids
Paracetamol (aka acetaminophen in the US) it has good It has analgesic (pain killing) and antipyretic (temp. reducing) properties.
Good vitamin
Plenty of vitamin C, preferably from fresh citrus fruits.

The non-traditional approach :
Use an anti-viral like Tamiflu !
This is particularly useful if you've other conditions that the flu may exacerbate. Speak to your Doctor!

 

[bajaespuma]

Vitamin C

Linus Pauling proved that use of Vitamin C AFTER symptoms appeared was slightly detrimental. He saw benefits only as prophylactic.

 

[petek]

Aspirin, chocolate, a bag of Doritos, a drink of preference, copies of the National Enquirer and Star etc. TV turned on, remote handy, a blanket and a comfy place on the couch.

 

[andrewinorlando]

Get drunk....it works for me!!

 

[toggleswitch]

Who knew?
I've gotten plenty-a-sore throat after seek-and-destroy missions.

~Paracetamol (aka acetaminophen in the US).
Information like this is priceless. TYVM

~Chicken soup isn't a bad idea at all.
Was it the onion or the garlic component in concert with the other ingredients that was that was proven to be a decongestant?

 

[sudsmaster]

He saw benefits only as prophylactic.

I wonder how many babies were conceived after the reluctant mother-to-be popped some Vitamin C pills as a "prophylactic"?

 

[sudsmaster]

Tylenol and Alcohol

Warning: do not drink alcohol when taking Tylenol or other medications containing acetaminophen. The result of combining the two may be irreversable liver damage. Bad news.

 

[toggleswitch]

oooh child that thing is shut-up tighter than a clam's @

Vitamin C may have prophylactic properties, but:

Aspirin is a great contraceptive. And like so many others quite effective when used according to directions.

Put it between the knees and don't let it fall.

 

[pturo]

I agree with Petek, acknowledge that you are sick and goddam revel in it! Watch TV in bed, read the scandal sheets, demand strange food like garlic chicken soup with rice crackers,low salt but plenty of pepper, no carrots, but a dash of celery salt. By all means, wear the same shitty pajama bottoms and T-shirt around for a week to garner sympathy. Shower, but don't do your hair for that pathetic,but clean look. Insist that your pillow cases are changed daily, you can re-infect yourself with those germs!

By the time you have made everyone around you miserable, you will feel so much better!

 

[toggleswitch]

...and soak your toothbrush in Listerine (oral antiseptic).

 

[bajaespuma]

Welcome to the Howard Hughes Club!!!!!!

If you're going to soak your toothbrush in Listerine you might first consider storing it out of the bathroom entirely or at least somehow 12 feet away from your flushing toilet. Bacteria laden airborne spray from each toilet flush travels a great distance and lands on things we probably don't want to think about. It's one reason I like having a bathroom all to myself and a separate one for guests. Me, I think ordinary exposure to unpleasant stuff like that tends to strengthen our (healthy)immune systems.

Dad used to say that the most ordinary practices like washing hands, a daily change of clothes, dusting/vacuuming frequently and common sense hygiene were the best ways to prevent infections. Looking back, now I realize why we never had kitchen sponges and spent an awful lot of money on Scott paper towels.

 

[toggleswitch]

Good points!

My mother is a borderline germ-o-phobe. I, on the other hand, take my coffee into the shower with me. I REFUSE to worry about it. There have been much dirtier things in my mouth. Like when I used to bite my nails for example. Untertakers have told me that under the nails is the filthiest thing on a person.

 

[sudsmaster]

Bitch Scratch Fever

Hmmph. Interesting. I always thought the human mouth was the filthiest most toxic part of the body. Human bites, like monkey bites, can be quite serious.

OK, please retract all fangs and claws!

;-)

 

[sudsmaster]

I pour a little hydrogen peroxide on my toothbrush after each brushing session. This has pretty well eliminated the canker sores I've been getting since I was a teenager. I assume it breaks some sort of life cycle of whatever organism that lives in the mouth that causes canker sores.

 

[toggleswitch]

uhmm my @$$ was just there........

The hand goes in the mouth, to the rectum, to the genitals, to the hand-rails, to the car door, etc.....

MY ALL-TIME favorite thing is when a restaurant customer uses their hand(s) to "dust-off" a chair or both then proceeds to eat with that hand.

I'm not so big on busboys puting the S/P shakers etc. on the seat either.

 

[irishwashguy]

I had the Flu a couple of years ago and I still went to work

I knew I had to eat something, since it was a sick day, yes, that is a day that I went to work sick. The Doctor said that there is not really you can do for it , anti nausia medication, and other than that drink alot of fluids, sleep, I did not have much of an appetite, however, I did at the time until I transfered to a different branch, worked across the street from Kenucky Fried Chicken. I ate a side of mashed potatoes, and nothing else, Food sounded well, not so good. although, I would watch the fever. I never had one that was 103.The last time I had that, it was Pneomonia. That was kind of tough.Sleep is great, lots of fluids, Emergen-C, immune formula, they sell it at Whole Foods Market for 10.99 a box. I also had a Fuze with the other fluids, Rule of thumb when I was working. If I felt tired and had the spinning head, I would go in the office and put my head down. It is tough, you will be better soon. Cheers!

 

[rp2813]

OMG, at the nursing home where my mom is the nurse's aides wear latex gloves to clean up various messes or to change a diaper, etc. and then next thing you see them doing is wheeling the patient out of the restroom or whatever, gloves still on with a firm grip on the wheel chair's handles. And they often continue to touch other surfaces from there before actually removing the gloves. Not like I am going to be pushing my mom around in her chair without some kind of protection or gloves on after seeing that sort of thing. I always wash my hands thoroughly after I get home from there.

My partner and I have brought this up at meetings we've had with administrators but the practice doesn't change. And people wonder why nasty intestinal bugs end up infecting a slew of patients.

 

[brisnat81]

Dangers of Paracetamol / acetaminophen

Hi All,

I'm not about to dispute that an Overdose of Paracetamol is dangerous, but there seems to be a lot more hype about this in the US than in other countries. When we were in the US 18 months ago, we bought a 250 tab bottle of Tylenol Max which we brought back with us.

The bottle of Tylenol is covered in warnings about the potential Liver damage caused by an overdose or by mixing large quantities of acetaminophen with alcohol. If you google in the US there seem to be hundreds of reports regarding liver damage. The Australian package of Panadol has a small warning in fine print and there seem to be a very limited number of poisioning cases.

I realise that the difference in reported poisionings could be due to population size differences, but is it that big of a problem? The reccomended dose here is a maximum of 8 500mg tabs in 24 hours and with reasonable alcohol consumption no side effects occur. The Tylenol we bought back was 500mg tabs with the same dosage reccomendations, why is it that it seems to be such a big problem in the US?

Regards

Nathan

 

[whirlcool]

The pharmacy pain med Vicodin is really just 750mg of Tylenol with a little codein in it. My doctor said you really shouldn't have anything alcoholic with it, especially when you are taking one every 6 hours for pain.
Just a reminder about germs:
Remember to wear your shoes when using an aircraft's toilets. You wouldn't believe how many people go in there in their socks or even in their bare feet! You also wouldn't believe the number of guys who have "bad aim". And you just wouldn't believe the method used to clean them as well.
Remember that the water in the spigots in the aircraft bathrooms are there for hand washing, not for drinking! If you want to brush your teeth, ask one of our surly F/A's for a bottle of water. I promise you they will understand!

 

[sudsmaster]

The best advice a doctor ever gave me when I saw him about a cold/flu, was, when you get something like that, get plenty of rest and "don't do anything that you don't absolutely have to do". At the time I would get a cold, and then feel like I was better a few days later, and start being active again, and then come down with something even worse. When I've been able to do it, getting plenty of rest at the first sign of symptoms has seemed to lessen the severity and prevent complications.

 

[rp2813]

I agree with Rich. I get real cranky when I'm hit with a cold and have found that resting in bed and, to a lesser degree, drinking lots of fluids definitely diminishes the symptoms.

I've found that taking preventative measures with a product like "Airborne" at the first sign of a cold can help to keep it at bay sometimes but not always, which probably depends on the properties of the virus itself.

 

[oxydolfan1]

The best advice I can give is to keep hydrated and make your "sickroom" as warm as possible, so you can sweat it out!

I'm also a firm believer in closing all shades, blinds, window treatments, etc. in the room. It helps to create psychological distance between the outside world, helps you to rest peacefully, and helps your body to "heal" and reject the evil bug that has invaded your body.

I consider recovering from the flu to be a form of healing. I literally try to imagine the millions of cells in my body to have been messed with, and I picture them healing, as they battle the invader, triumph over them, and cast them out.

Sorry to sound "new-agey", but I really believe to think these thoughts hastens recovery.

 

[maytagbear]

I feel less than wonderful, friends.

Cold chills, cough, headache, body aches.

There are times when living alone is not so good. This is one of them.

Yes, I forgot to get my flu shot this year. Since I am currently symptomatic, it is far too late.

I have Vicks VapoRub CREAM (in the tube,) aspirin, and a big bag of storebrand cough drops, in original menthol-eucalyptus.

Wish me luck. Will check email daily as I feel up to it.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[oxydolfan1]

If you like Chinese, order in and get an ENORMOUS container of wonton soup!

It helps, and you can reheat it over several days.

If it is possible (didn't you have heat problems?), put on your warmest clothes, pile every blanket you have onto your bed, and try to sweat it out.

Feel better....

 

[maytagbear]

The only food by delivery here in this college town

is pizza.

I woke up to go to the bathroom, and to feed and water the livestock (Boris T. Catt), and I took my temp. 100.3F

Going to stay up and read a bit, then back to bed.

Heat problem was resolved successfully around Dec 15th.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[sudsmaster]

100.3F isn't too bad, Larry, but of course the aspirin may have lowered it from what it could have been. Like I said before, don't try to do anything unless it's absolutely necessary. If you have some canned soup, that might help with the fluids and your salt balance. The cat won't die if you put out a lot of dry food and water to last a few days. Get plenty of bed rest... take care...